The guys of indie-rock band EXRCM hail from beautiful northern Italy. After spending a few years making music there, the friends relocated to Berlin, moving into a house together with the intention of furthering their bond and developing an intimate new style of music. Their Berlin-based work paid off, resulting in a fascinating mini-documentary series paired with their first English-speaking EP, Loite.

Loite features three original tracks from EXRCM, penned and sung in English, each accompanied by a distinct three to four minute video that tracks one real person on the streets of Berlin. After moving to the bustling German capital, the band noticed that "everyday we are surrounded by different people with different destinations. Each one of these people has a different story to tell, and for a few seconds, all of these different stories brush against each other." Applying this epiphany to their artistic endeavors, EXRCM set out to unite the people of Berlin. They posted advertisements seeking individuals who would let them into their lives for a day, and the result finds the band filming three special people going about their lives. The songs that accompany each video are written specifically for each narrative, blending the real-world inspiration of their film subjects with fictional melodrama for lyrical flair that both engages listeners and allows them to relate.

The first part in the Loite series, "Foonesta," follows a woman named Barbara preparing to meet her long-distance lover for the very first time. The cinematography is lovely, successfully capturing the enormous range of emotions in this narrative through colorful overlays, lighting and shadows, and clear B-roll material. The song is a swirling, ambient indie-rock tune dabbling in haunting delivery with heavy horns and percussion threatening to barrel through the track. "Foonesta" ends on a positive note, reflected both on the visual aid where we see Barbara meet her partner, and in the music itself, an impressive unity between both pieces.

Next, "Marwin" follows Sarnt as he spends a day to himself and gets ready for a party. The scenes are in the same style as the EP's previous track, trailing behind the subject as he moves through Berlin interspersed with beautifully-lit frontal shots of him going through the motions. "Marwin" is a moving song, eerie in its minimalist pulsing introduction, then growing to a warm guitar-driven melody atop breathy vocals singing gripping lines like "The architecture of his sadness changes in every airport." By the end of the track, Sarnt reunites with a friend and together, amid a gentle rock piano rhythm, they take on Berlin.

The final installment of Loite is "Dizzy," in which EXRCM follow a young man Samuel as he heads to church and then practices his dancing. The video once again opens with us meeting the subject on a train platform, before learning more about him via intense close-up shots that capture the tiniest flickers in facial expression and deep dark tones that change with the environment. "Dizzy" is an aching slow-jam. For an entire half of the song, sprinkles of piano appear and distant bass wails, until suddenly a gorgeous multi-instrumental arrangement explodes as the vocal performance becomes more desperate, confessing "I've got a train under my skin / I can't miss it / Please, does anybody know where it's taking me?" as the music grows more insistent, demanding a palpable reaction to its distress, all while Samuel offers a mesmerizing dance practice.

EXRCM's documentary series is an intimate peek into daily life, revealing details that unite us from the band's home in Italy to their new workspace in Berlin all the way to The Music Mermaid's own home in New York. This is a talent -- crafting small pieces of larger lives through the power of music -- and EXRCM do it with immense sonic talent, powerful songwriting, and thoughtful curation of experience. Loite is a masterpiece of the highest order, offering three distinct stories and songs, each of which are instrumentally intriguing and expertly produced.